For many people, “Shakespeare” does not always conjure up the most positive emotions. They assume that the language will be too difficult to understand, that the old stories will be stuffy and unrelatable, and that they generally won’t enjoy the experience.
Sweet Tea Shakespeare is here to challenge those assumptions. The local theatre company has been telling classic stories in unique and original ways since 2012.
While Sweet Tea Shakespeare certainly brings Shakespeare’s centuries-old plays to life for their 21st-century audience, they also tell other classic stories. Their next production tells a familiar story with a modern twist. Pan is an updated retelling of the classic J.M. Barrie tale of Peter Pan, written by Sweet Tea Shakespeare’s founder and Director of Mission, Jeremy Fiebig.
In the beginning of the play, we meet Gwendolyn, Gwendy or Wendy for short, a military kid whose dad is deployed…again.
This time is different, though, because he has been declared missing in action. Wendy, played by Carsyn Harkey, is reserved and serious in the beginning, feeling a responsibility for her mom and her younger brothers. When Peter crashes into her yard and her life, her typical teen angst begins to melt into the whimsy of Neverland. The gang's all here as we are introduced to Neverland: Tinkerbell, Hook, Smee, and of course the Lost Boys.
Traycie Kuhn-Zapata, Artistic Director of STS and this production’s Tinkerbell, describes the depiction of the two worlds of Pan as a Wizard of Oz moment.
Act 1 is primarily in Wendy’s real world, with all the worries and stress that come with it. Act 2 contains the magic and adventure of Neverland.
According to Harkey, there is a wide range of emotions experienced by those who are part of the story: “One minute you’re laughing, the next there are tears in your eyes.”
As with all Sweet Tea Shakespeare productions, Pan includes a mix of veteran actors who have been involved in past STS shows, alongside novices who are stepping onstage for the first time. One unique element of Pan is the collaboration with Sweet Tea’s youth theatre company, called Green Tea.
Participants in Green Tea usually produce their own play, but in this case, they get to work alongside adults, all of them learning from each other. According to Izaiah Zapata, the play’s director, the kids, ranging in age from 9-18, “Bring a lot of fun ideas to the table,” a fresh perspective and unique energy that only young actors can. Sweet Tea has always worked to create high-quality theatre while also being a safe space for artists to learn and grow in their craft; to be free to try new things without the pressure of always being perfect.
Pan will be performed at the Poe House, part of the Museum of the Cape Fear complex at 206 Bradford Ave.
The performances will be outside and audience members may bring their own blankets and chairs to set up on the lawn of the historic house. Not to worry, chairs and blankets will also be available for rent if needed. Light refreshments and beverages will be available for purchase, as well as a line-up of food trucks on hand at each performance if patrons would like to make it a full “dinner and a show” experience.
While tickets can be purchased “at the door,” it is best to buy tickets in advance. Even though seating is open, there are a limited number of tickets. Discounts are offered for advance tickets; ticket holders will also be informed of any change of venue, should NC’s unpredictable spring weather necessitate a change. As with all Sweet Tea productions, pre-show music will begin at 6:45 p.m. with performances by the company that are thematically tied to the play. The play itself will begin promptly at 7:30 p.m. Audiences are encouraged to arrive early to ensure the best seating.
Pan promises to be a night of whimsical entertainment for the whole family. Showings will be held April 3 through 6, and April 10 through 13. Join the Sweet Tea Shakespeare company, along with Green Tea, to explore an age-old story in a fresh, new light.

(Photo:In order from Left to Right: Olivia Sundeen, Mike Canino, Alexis Robinson, Val Humphrey, and Michaiah Moore play the pirates in Pan. Photos courtesy of Sweet Tea Shakespeare)